I guess I like him. I've watched as much YouTube (and BBC) as I can. He's no Tennant, but I think I will learn to love him (even though he is a baby). I really liked Eccleston, too, and when he was to regenerate I was upset. But the new Doctor was David Tennant (Barty Crouch Jr.) and I fell in love with him! I will miss him dammit! He's just too cool. They say this new doctor will be his "own", with "no baggage"...
Smith was in Philip Pullman's The Ruby in the Smoke, which starred Piper as Sally Lockhart. I've never seen him in anything either. I miss Billie Piper as well. And I know you, Nikkita, are not a big fan of Donna Noble, but I really liked her. I think she was a good companion for the Doctor, saying he needed "someone to stop him". I think Piper was more of a love interest for the Doctor (I think Phoesune would agree); though she was a great companion for him as well, spunky and passionate.
Well, I'm a bit bewildered about him. Mainly because of his age, since he's the first doctor to be younger than me (which possibly happens to everybody on the long run). Especially since I'm quite young myself.
But I'm sure he will do his part very well and hopefully in a new way.
Of course he won't have it easy, am still missin Eccleston and by then will miss Tennant as well. (My wife still barely accepts Tennant as Doctor!)
I have to throw my hat in with the "Don't like the look of new doctor" crowd. I agree that hugh Laurie would have been a great Doctor, but its going to be really hard for anyone to live up to Eccleston and Tennant (they where the most fun since Tom Baker).
*SPOILERS*
Also I think a new doctor is just bad story structure. I mean, they had die and regenerate into himself at the end of series 4... just to do 4 more episodes and regenerate into someone else? (Which technically makes this the 12th Doctor. They're running out of lives).
*END SPOILERS*
Also, when they change doctors, they are also losing Russell T. Davies as head writer and executive producer (and he was the writer of almost every major ep in the new series, and is single-handedly responsible for the feel of the new series). So, I'm really worried that the show might drastically change a winning formula, or scrap all the back-story of the last 4 years and go its own way.
On a side not I totally feel that Lady Christina de Souza, from Planet of the Dead, should be the new companion. Shes a perfect fit, with her own skillset that could compliment the Doctor.